So I Take My Time
by Squirrel Stone
Summary: For Venus/Kunzite Week 2018. After reuniting, Minako and Kyle immediately find themselves struggling to stay together.
1. Day 1: Constancy

"So…"

" _So_ …"

"This is weird, right?" Minako turns to look up at Kyle, still staring out at the water in front of them. "I mean, it's obviously weird I'm fourteen and you're- what?" He's not listening, she realizes abruptly. "Forty?"

That gets his attention. He jerks his head to look at her, clearly offended. "I'm twenty-one!" he snaps. "But yes, it's weird as hell. I only just got a position with homicide, and now I'm daydreaming about running away to Tokyo to be with a girl I don't even know."

Minako purses her lips and looks back out at the ocean. "I'm still her," she replies softly, almost inaudibly. "In my head, I'm still in my twenties watching my princess run off with your prince. My… age dysphoria- is that a thing? I'm making it a thing- got me in trouble with my last relationship."

Kyle scoffs. "You can say that again," he mutters. At her confused look, he explains, "Artemis told me. Thought it'd scare me away."

"That rat," Minako grumbles. After a moment, they both turn back to the sea, watching the waves hit the posts holding up the dock. "Of all the things I hated about coming down here, this was not one of them." She straightens her back and pushes off the edge she'd been bracing herself on. "Watching the water go back and forth was always… relaxing." A small laugh escapes her. "Didn't hurt that you could control it either."

This time, Kyle just smirks and lets her keep talking.

"It was one thing I could always count on when I came down here," she continues. "Serenity and Endymion could get into some crazy, new predicament every night, but the tides would come and go, just like they always did… So which are you?"

"Hm?" Kyle's eyebrows furrow in confusion, and she realizes she'll have to spell it out for him.

"Are you coming or going?"


	2. Day 2: Farewells

He doesn't answer. Like an absolute coward, he doesn't answer. But the truth is, he doesn't know himself what he's going to do. He wants to be with Minako and his prince, but he also has commitments back in New York. For one, he promised Kaia he'd look out for her, and remembering that she was Endymion's little sister only reinforced his desire to keep his word. Not to mention, he had to find the other three generals, wherever they may be.

In America, he tells himself. Somewhere in America. He knows that much.

Just how he knows is beyond him, and even as he sits in his hotel room pondering it, he cannot come up with an explanation beyond the simplest: magic. Magic drew him to Tokyo, and now it's trying to pull him back to the states.

The door opens, and Kyle reaches for his hip, realizing belatedly that his gun isn't there, isn't even allowed in Japan.

"You are one hard man to track down, Kyle Callahan."

Kyle's shoulders relax at the sound of Minako's voice.

"Seriously, do you know how much flirting I had to do to get in here?" she asks. She walks into the bedroom and stops, putting her hands on her hips. "C'mon, we already had a bad ending in our last life, don't let this new one start off wrong. I mean, teleporting away in the middle of a conversation?" She rolls her eyes. "So unlike you."

That's his answer. He knows it the second she says it, even though it breaks his heart. "I have to find them," he says. "I won't be able to think straight until I do."

The anger deflates from Minako's form, and she nods in understanding. "I'd do the same if any of my girls were missing," she says. "When did you decide?"

"Just now," he replies. "Literally, as you were talking."

She snorts. "Well, it's nice to know my voice is such a deterrent for you to stay."

"You know that's not it," he replies, standing up and walking over to her. "I've always loved your voice. I'll miss it when I'm gone."

Minako blushes, knowing what he means to say. "I'll miss you, too, Kyle."


	3. Day 3: Circus

Note: this is an AU, set shortly after the first season- maybe after the Ail/En arc of the second season. Hope that clears up any confusion!

* * *

He allows himself a couple of days to get to know the senshi and his prince again. They spend a good chunk of their time at an arcade, drinking milkshakes and teasing each other, and Kyle can't help but watch in awe. The scene is an absolute circus, and Minako acts as the lion tamer to Usagi's lion. Any time Usagi's heart gets an idea that's too big for reality, Minako pulls her back in and negotiates her down to something smaller.

 _No,_ she says, _Kyle does not need to go to Disneyland Tokyo before leaving. He wants to spend time with everyone, and we can do that here, not waiting in lines._

He manages not to laugh throughout the whole ordeal, even when Usagi tries to get him a tour of the entire city before he leaves the next morning. They all put that idea to bed quite quickly, as the sun is already low in the sky and everyone is yawning.

He walks Minako back to her house, picturing her as he had in his earlier thoughts, in a red coat with a whip in her hand, and those thoughts suddenly go to places he knows he shouldn't touch. He clears his throat nervously when they reach the front door.

"Would you like to come inside?" she asks.

"You know that's not a good idea," he whispers in response. He's suddenly aware of how close they've gotten, he looming over her while she tugs at his lapels. "It'll get out of hand."

She shrugs. "We're both adults."

"You're fourteen."

"Twenty-eight," she corrects him sharply.

"Good night, Minako," he says, and before he can stop himself, he kisses her, soft and gentle, but still a kiss.


	4. Day 4: Flowers

The day he's to leave, she shows up with a bouquet of carnations. He stands in the doorframe, awestruck, and she clears her throat nervously.

"I don't know why I brought these," she confesses. "You're leaving and don't have anywhere to put them and you've already got your bag to teleport with and-"

"I love them," he cuts in. "They're beautiful. Just like you."

She laughs, dropping her head and looking at the flowers. "The twenty-first century has made you cheesy, Kyle."

"Nah, you did that," he replies. He takes a step inside, allowing her in. "Thank you for coming. I wasn't really counting on anyone to show up."

"The others will come around," she promises as she walks in. He closes the door behind her, and they stand there in the entryway. "If nothing else, Usagi'll convince them."

Kyle can't help the snort that escapes him. "Sounds about right. Same old Serenity."

"She'll do that to you."

They stand there for a moment, comfortable silence overtaking them. Then, without warning, she sets the flowers aside on a table and kisses him, and he melts. There is no other alternative with her, not for him. He'll give in to her every time.

Even if he is late to work the next day.


	5. Day 5: Ghost

I forgot I labeled this fic as K+, so this chapter and this chapter only will be put in a different fic to maintain the rating.


	6. Day 6: Chemistry

His phone rings, and he answers it without hesitation, knowing who it is. "You had the dream, too?" Then it hits him. "It's 5:30 in the afternoon for you; why were you even asleep?"

"I needed a nap after school, so sue me," she replies. "And yes, I had the dream, too." She pauses, taking in a deep breath. "It was… nice."

"Yeah," he agrees, "it was. I just wish I could remember it happening. Like I had the dream, yes, but the actual memory of it, their faces, it's like they've burned away."

Minako lets out a hum of acknowledgement, and Kyle can picture her nodding her head. "I know what you mean. It felt so different from any of my other memories."

"I once had a psychology teacher tell me that we don't actually remember things; we're just remembering the last time we remembered it. Maybe that's why we don't remember their faces." He puts a hand on his forehead, knowing there's no way he's gonna get back to sleep like this. "She also said we can't dream up new faces, just ones we've seen, even in passing. Maybe that's why we can't remember them. We haven't seen them in this life."

"Maybe," she sighs. "I'm sorry for calling; you probably need more sleep."

He shakes his head. "I wasn't getting back to sleep after that," he assures her. "Tell me about school today."

She lets out a small laugh. "Well, in chem today…"


	7. Day 7: Direction

He acts with a purpose, doing everything he can to get back to her. Everything pulls him towards her, but he can't stop until he completes his mission and finds his knighted siblings. Kaia is easy, he already knows where she is under house arrest, but it appears she breaks that every other week when 'Tanzanite' shows up to save lives somewhere around the world. He smiles to himself, wondering how the youngest of them got her powers back first.

Three other strings pull him across the continent, demanding he follow them all at once. He hates that he can't do it.

But one string, of course, one little red thread pulls him to Tokyo, and it's all he can do not to hop on the first flight out.

"I'm looking for Officer Kyle Callahan."

His head jerks up; he knows that voice. A smile spreads across his face, and he walks over to greet Minako. "What are you doing here?" he asks.

"Helping," she answers simply. "Two eyes are better than one, right?"

He snorts and drops his head, a smile on his face. "Heads, Minako, two heads." And for the first time since his memories started to return, Kyle feels as though he gets to decide which direction he goes.


End file.
